What is Wet Brain? Symptoms Every Heavy Drinker Should Know

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS), commonly referred to as “wet brain,” is a neurological disorder caused by a severe deficiency of thiamine. Thiamine, also known as Vitamin B1, is essential for proper heart, muscle and brain function and is typically obtained through proper diet. Vitamin B1 is necessary for your brain to turn carbohydrates, like sugar and starches, into energy.

Is Alcoholism a Mental Illness?

• Treatment of Wernicke’s encephalopathy begins with increased intake of thiamine.
• Without treatment, a wet brain can cause life-threatening brain damage.
• When it can’t absorb enough thiamine over a long period of time, the chance of that individual developing WK Syndrome goes up dramatically.
• Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be severe and even deadly, in some cases, so detoxing under medical supervision is always the safest and most effective way to quit alcohol and begin a new, sober lifestyle.

Moreover, alcohol itself hampers the absorption and storage of thiamine in the body. The truth is that chronic alcohol abuse has tragic consequences for many people even before its end stages. For these individuals, the only way to prevent the tragic consequences of wet brain and other alcohol-related illnesses and injuries is to abstain what is mush brain from drinking and choose a life of sobriety. If you are suffering from alcohol abuse, it’s important to take the necessary action in order to prevent wet brain symptoms from developing in your life. As we mentioned earlier, the symptoms of the final stages of wet brain are less likely to be treatable and can even be fatal.

Treatment for Wet Brain

Our treatment team is laser-focused on giving you all the tools you could need to thrive once again. Stopping drinking may slow the progression of Wernicke Korsakoff Syndrome and improve the chronic symptoms that come with it. At Resurgence Behavioral Health, we can help you or your loved one stop drinking and remain in recovery for good through our integrated detox and rehab programs. Anyone concerned about symptoms indicative of wet brain needs immediate medical attention.

• Contact Nova Recovery Center today for more information on our individualized drug and alcohol addiction recovery program.
• Using trauma-informed treatment methods, we will keep you safe, healthy, and comfortable as you detoxify your body, and rehabilitate, becoming a stronger, sober version of yourself.
• According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 80% of people with alcohol use disorder have a thiamine deficiency.
• Additionally, a patient experiencing symptoms must seek medical treatment immediately in order to catch it in time for it to be treatable.
• First, neurological symptoms, such as vision problems and problems with muscle coordination, usually present themselves.

Is Wernicke Korsakoff Syndrome Reversible?

The significantly more serious second stage of wet brain is when the true problems begin to take hold. If a patient does not receive immediate treatment during the first stage of wet brain or continues to drink after recovery, Korsakoff’s Psychosis will surely set in much worse consequences. Vitamin B1 should be given as soon as possible to patients presenting with symptoms of the wet brain. A Vitamin B1 injection will help to address symptoms of confusion, delirium, vision problems, and trouble with muscle coordination. Wet brain is a progressive syndrome, so the sooner you can get medical help, the more likely you are to prevent further brain damage. Despite its efficacy, an alcohol detox program on its own is not a solution for long-term sobriety.

The sooner you can recognize symptoms and receive appropriate treatment, the sooner you can stop the progression of the syndrome and greatly lower your chances of experiencing irreversible side effects. Researchers have yet to agree upon whether Wernicke syndrome always comes before Korsakoff syndrome and, therefore, indicates some sort of cause-and-effect relationship. Whether one condition causes the other or not, there is a recognized progression https://ecosoberhouse.com/ of symptoms. Studies have found that 80 to 90 percent of people who have Wernicke syndrome go on to develop Korsakoff syndrome. According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome occurs in about 1 to 2 percent of the general population in the United States. The condition occurs slightly more in males than it does in females, and it occurs evenly across the population of people aged 30 to 70.

• If a patient diagnosed with Wernicke’s Encephalopathy receives treatment right away, the prognosis is generally good.
• Patients will likely receive these additional nutrients intravenously until the body is able to adequately absorb them on its own.
• Interventions may not reverse all brain damage that’s already occurred, but its goal is to restore the flow of CSF and prevent further brain damage.
• Improvement is difficult to quantify because they applied several different actions.

By taking steps to hydrocephalus, you can reduce your risk for permanent disability, as well as that of your child. The outlook for someone with hydrocephalus depends largely on the extent of their symptoms and how soon they receive treatment. Excess fluid then drains from the brain and out the other end of the tube, where it becomes easier to absorb. A shunt implant is typically permanent and requires regular monitoring. CT scans use several different X-rays to form a cross-sectional image of the brain.

Wet Brain in Alcoholics

Wet Brain Syndrome

• When hydrocephalus occurs in adults (usually those over 60 years of age), CSF levels rise, but the amount of pressure is usually normal.
• Don’t assume that taking a vitamin B1 vitamin will be enough to prevent problems.
• So long as they quit drinking alcohol and improve their diet, they should experience a full recovery.
• Continuing your addiction treatment with a drug and alcohol rehab program can help you develop the necessary life skills and coping strategies to maintain your sobriety.
• Research shows that 80-90% of alcoholics who develop Wernicke’s encephalopathy progress to the Korsakoff’s psychosis phase.

Hydrocephalus in children/young adults